Investigating HA's through DVR...

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dogmom

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Hey...didn't want to hijack zeefour's thread for the Resounds. I mentioned on there briefly that I've started DVR again. I had DVR in college <before I was aware of any hearing changes, so far as I know; I had it due to learning disabilities>. I'm now about 45. For some years I've been aware of changes in hearing and my hub's HA specialist from an earlier time <that person is retired> did a basic hearing test on me, found audiologically ""mild" levels. My mother insists she was told that I had missing inner ear bones at birth. I was born 2 months premature and very low birthrate in the early 70's. My husband and I didn't pursue aids for me after that initial test because of the "mild" range, cost and the fact that my husband needed new HA's for years. He's in the severe-slightly profound range unaided, I believe. He's a techie/engineering type guy so he just kept fixing the ones he had. He needs aids w/mulitple programs etc especially as he might be on the phone with a customer for several hours and he has international customers. So he recently finally got new Resounds. More recently I applied for DVR since I've been trying to find a part time job and having challenges with that for a number of reasons - and also was considering HA's. Had my first meeting w/ a counselor last week and she will send me a list of audi's they work with. Since I believe I may have CAPD - Central Auditory Processing Disorder - also <but was never diagnosed> I'm going to see if any of those audi's are familiar with CAPD and/or have tested for it<there are very few>. I have an audi that I know is at least familiar with CAPD but doesn't actually test for it. This audi I know of, her grandparents were also Deaf so she may sign some. So, not sure what it will end being so far as audiologists go, but wanted to see if anyone had any thoughts or advice for me on this-
 
Since you've been looking for work- it's likely DVR (VR to me lol) will pay for the entire cost of hearing aids. NC did both times I've lived here and was out of work (lucky me..). The bigger downside is that you are limited to the audiologists they work with and will pay and what brands you can get. I suspect that last bit is true as even though I love my oticons I was hoping to get different colors lol but I think I was limited in colors due to VR.

It may work differently for your area, but generally you'll get the hearing aids, molds, and as many visits as you need within a year (with no cost to you) to get the hearing aids tweaked right and molds right. For me in addition to tweaking I had to go back and get a new pair made plus messing with those to get the fit right.

I still ended up getting a third pair of molds made after the year was up anyway because the tip of the mold was causing sores in my ears...
 
I do not have any advice on the CAPD part, sorry, Dogmom. But I will say that here in Minnesota, what gets covered with VR services is based on income. When I first met with them, I was still married and our dual income was enough to disqualify me for any financial help (schooling, HAs, etc.) from them. After my divorce, that changed completely, however, since I was now on a single income. I do know what state you live in (I won't disclose it here) so I have no idea if the rules are similar, so I think a visit to your VR counselor will tell you what you qualify for.
 
:ty: DD and AlleyCat! I suspected that DVR has certain providers for HA's they use. I currently do not work outside the home. When I talk more with the counselor about my audiogram or HA testing I'll ask her more regarding the income. DVR is going to do some vocational testing with me; I have to wait for the person who does that, to call me and set up a date/time. It seems as though it will be somewhat similar to but not complete as the LD assessment that I had to do with DVR years ago. On the list they gave me for that, there is a person who does it who may sign as the counselor told me that this person also does assessments at the Deaf school.
 
dogmom said:
DVR is going to do some vocational testing with me; I have to wait for the person who does that, to call me and set up a date/time. It seems as though it will be somewhat similar to but not complete as the LD assessment that I had to do with DVR years ago. On the list they gave me for that, there is a person who does it who may sign as the counselor told me that this person also does assessments at the Deaf school.
Click to expand...

I hope you have better luck than I've had recently with this part. They won't give me any sort of vocational testing or training (or any sort of help with training i.e. bootcamp)... Mainly because I already have a Bachelor's degree (in something I haven't worked in in years) and a resume that's "impressive" to a lot of people (yet they still won't advance me to interview or hire me right now oy).

Best of luck and I'll bet you'll get what you need :).
 
:) DeafDucky, appreciate your thoughts! Are you interested in getting any vocational testing or training? I'm sorry that your experience is hard with DVR. When I first had them years ago, I experienced good and bad things with them - the paperwork hassles and multiple counselors <sometimes assigned to me suddenly - I'd go to a meeting and there would be a new counselor there who I never seen before>. Stuff that wasn't too suprising to me but which still was challenging and led me to put off doing the DVR thing again, this time. I also didn't want to go through a bunch of intake stuff with them only to find out I wasn't accepted due to their Order of Selection process <they didn't have that before>. I do have a Bachelor's degree but like many people with learning disabilities, I have a spotty work history and have been let go from jobs or not allowed to try for a job.

Sucks that you have a great resume but at your job they still won't do anything for advancement or anything!
 
Dogmom- Yes... I'm interested in some sort of vocational training or at least assistance with financing any kind of training-- AA degree, second BA degree (LOL...) or even the idea of the bootcamp. At least I pointed out to my local VR office about the benefits of coding bootcamps for disabled (not just deaf) so they've been learning about it for the last year or so. The person responsible for evaluation for voc training is also rather new too so it's been a learning curve for everyone there except my VR counselor lol.

The first time I went through VR here, had similar experience... VR tends to assist the 'more severely disabled' (I don't know the parameters for that though), than someone who had a from all accounts a fairly successful job history (some gaps in there) but still happens to be deaf and encounters 'hidden' discrimination- can't think of a better way to put it.
 
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